Commonly owned WIPO International Application No. PCT/IL2014/050680 entitled Liquid Transfer Devices for Use with Infusion Liquid Containers and published under WIPO International Publication No. WO 2015/019343 discloses liquid transfer devices for use with an infusion liquid container and a discrete injection vial for assisting preparation of an infusion liquid container with a medicated infusion liquid for administration to a patient. The infusion liquid containers can be in the form of an infusion bag, an infusion bottle, and the like. The infusion liquid containers contain an infusion liquid and have an intravenous (IV) or administration port. WO 2015/019343's FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show a liquid transfer device hereinafter referred to as the WO 2015/019343 liquid transfer device, WO 2015/019343's FIG. 6 shows another liquid transfer device and WO 2015/019343's FIG. 7 shows yet another liquid transfer device.
The WO 2015/019343 liquid transfer device includes a trifurcated connector body having an IV spike for sealing insertion into an IV port, a vial adapter port with an integral vial adapter for snap fit telescopic mounting on a discrete injection vial for flow communication therewith, and a twist-off substitute IV port. The twist-off substitute IV port includes a septum which is initially sealed prior to being punctured on insertion of an IV spike of an infusion set. The bifurcated body has three lumens for the IV spike, the vial adapter port and the twist-off substitute IV port. The three lumens are in 3 way direct and continuous fluid connection such that preparation of an infusion liquid container with a medicated infusion liquid includes the following steps:
Step 1 snap fit telescopic mounting a liquid transfer device's vial adapter onto a discrete injection vial.
Step 2 inserting the liquid transfer device's IV spike into an infusion liquid container's IV port for establishing an immediate flow path between the infusion liquid container and the discrete injection vial.
Step 3 repeated forward and backward transfer of liquid contents from the infusion liquid container to the discrete injection vial to mix or reconstitute the injection vial's medicament to form medicated infusion liquid in the infusion liquid container.
Step 4 opening the liquid transfer device's substitute IV port and inserting an infusion set's IV spike thereinto for establishing immediate flow path between the infusion liquid container and the infusion set ready for gravitational flow of medicated infusion liquid from the infusion liquid container to a patient.
In some medical institutions, Step 1 to Step 4 are performed in quick succession adjacent a patient immediately before administration notwithstanding a healthcare provider having gloved hands has to be dexterous to handle a liquid transfer device and a discrete injection vial. In other medical institutions, such bedside preparation is regarded as inconvenient and problematic and prefer Step 1 to Step 3 be performed beforehand and only Step 4 be performed adjacent a patient immediately before administration. But such early preparation of a medicated infusion liquid inherently leads to a delay between preparation and administration with a possible detrimental effect to a medicated infusion liquid.
There is a need to facilitate administration of medicated infusion liquids.